Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground
by PSYchOtiC-teNdencieS
Summary: As Ryou's lips curved into a soft smile, Bakura stiffened and felt heat rise to his face, his heart pounding a little faster. He didn't understand how such an insignificant thing as a smile could so suddenly overwhelm him...
1. Through this world I've stumbled

**A/n**: Here it is: the **renovated version** of _My Angel _(sucky title, but what can you do?). Hope you like.

**Warnings**: Shounen-ai, lack of imagination, and I fear slight OOCness.

**Disclaimer**: See that word? Means I'm not claiming Yuugiou for my own. I'm **dis-**claiming it, as in it's **not** mine, and I'm letting you know! DO WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING?

* * *

The room was cold and empty when Bakura Ryou stumbled in. He collapsed onto his bed, curling himself into a fearful ball. 

Mother was dead. Father was always gone, occasionally sending gifts to him. But for the mysterious spirit living in the sennen ring, he was alone.

The boy turned and reached for a simple chain by his bedside. He held it close to him, remembering when his father had nearly turned his house upside-down, searching for everything that reminded him of his wife and destroying the items. This small chain necklace was all of hers' he could reach before his father. He held it whenever he felt alone, remembering his mother's gentleness while caressing the cold metal.

"He's so ashamed of me, Mother," he whispered to the wall. "What did I do? Why does Father hate me so much? Why don't I have any friends? Is this... what I deserve?"

Sighing, the boy brushed away the tears trailing down his face, but more replaced them. The last person who loved him was dead now; too far for his longing arms to reach. His father had loved him once, but he was beginning to forget when that was. The death of his mother seemed to take the very life out of his father, and nothing seemed to matter to him anymore. In time Ryou was forgotten.

All he wanted was to be with someone who loved him.

"Help me," he pleaded in undertones.

"Mother, help me."

A sudden weariness manifested itself in him, and he closed his blood-shot eyes. Insomnia kept them red and puffy, though still the chocolate brown eyes obtained their innocence. A moment ago he was almost too upset to think properly, knowing he was nothing. Now he felt peaceful for the first time in months, and the strained look of fear and sadness smoothed into a gentle complexion, feeling almost as though a hand was brushing away the emotions that troubled him so.

'Sleep now,' a voice breathed gently to him, and Ryou felt the drowsiness intensifying. A small smile tugged on the corner of his lips, and he thought he heard a faint voice in the distance singing to him. He knew the tune; he'd heard it several times as a child.

'_Don't you weep my little angel_

_Wipe these needless tears away._

_Don't you weep my little angel,_

_Dawn will bring another day._

_-_

_Close your eyes my lovely child,_

_Don't you wake 'till dawn has come._

_Close your eyes my lovely child,_

_Sleep now my little one._

_-_

_Go to sleep you lovely angel,_

_Rest your head upon my knee._

_Go to sleep my lovely angel,_

_Underneath my shielding wings._'

Ryou was asleep now, completely at peace, with a figure robbed in whites standing by his bed, face hidden beneath the garments. A hand hovered over Ryou for a moment, moving as though stroking him, but never touching the boy's head. In a moment she was gone, and Yami no Bakura was alone with Ryou.

* * *

Bakura had seen his lighter half drop lifelessly onto the bed, watched him touch the wall longingly, and heard him whisper, "mother". He stayed in his spirit form, watching the small wretch with just a tinge of guilt surfacing his thoughts. 

The dark soul hated weakness and laughed when he caused others to suffer as he once did, but watching this smaller and more childish version of himself collapse like that stirred him a little. There was something disturbing about the way the hopeful light in the boy's eyes (which had always annoyed him) was gone.

Frankly, it reminded him of something from a long time ago: Ryou was an almost exact mirror of himself when he pined for his own mother 3,000 years ago.

Bakura remembered the empty feeling of being without her; but he had since learned to hate the weakness called 'love'. He had pushed aside all his weaknesses when he saw what they were doing to him.

But Ryou was different. He was clinging to his loss, and it was eating him away, hurling him deeper and deeper into the illusion of obsoleteness. The emptiness seemed to radiate from his soul room nowadays.

Bakura folded his arms across his chest irritably, waiting for the other soul to get up. But Ryou wasn't getting up... wasn't managing to heal. Why did this make him so uncomfortable?

The child suddenly stopped crying and blinked sleepily, finally closing his eyes. Bakura sensed another presence. It startled him and he readied himself to take over Ryou's body, knowing that the boy wouldn't defend himself well in this state. Weak and useless soul or not, he needed the body, and so was prepared to protect his vessel.

The presence he sensed was in some kind of spirit form, but there seemed to be nothing threatening about it. Relaxing a little, Bakura glanced back at Ryou, observing the sudden peacefulness in his face and emitting from his soul room. He looked so calm when asleep, and so fragile.

Bakura was vaguely reminded of a beautiful, but extremely breakable vase he once stole in his tomb robber days. The treasure used to always leave him in a state of confusion (NOT insecurity). It seemed that just by touching it with his rough fingers, it would shatter. He wanted so to caress its smooth golden features, but could not bring himself to when he looked down at his coarse, blood stained hands. Those hands would corrupt the beauty of the perfectly molded item.

Bakura scowled.

He so did _not_ just compare Ryou to a treasure! He was merely thinking of his _fragility_, not his _value_. The boy was so thin and frail. His smooth features relaxed, his light skin and hair made him look so pure- er, weak, rather.

Ryou's lips slowly curled into a soft smile, perfecting the adorably peaceful look. Bakura stiffened and felt heat rise to his face, his heart pounding a little faster. He didn't understand how such an insignificant thing as a smile could so suddenly overwhelm him.

'Pathetic vessel,' he thought to himself defiantly. 'Pitiful, weak, foolish, beautiful, idiotic- wait a minute...' (**A/n**: How terribly original of me...)

Fuming, the spirit tore his eyes away from the sleeping boy, refusing to allow himself to make another slip. It was only then that he noticed a barely visible figure raising its hand as though to touch Ryou, and instead began slowly tracing an invisible line just above him before dropping it regrettably.

Bakura started, but he blinked and it was gone; as was, he noticed, the strange presence he sensed.

He walked noiselessly to the place where the spirit had been and searched for a piece of it that had perhaps not yet left, curious as to exactly what it was. He made the mistake of looking down at Ryou. Momentarily frozen, he again stared at the angelic boy, reminded even more of the treasure he once possessed. Beautiful, yet untouchable...

Bakura suddenly came out of his trance, and realized with slight fury that he had leaned in a little closer to his light and reached out a hand to touch the invitingly soft skin. He attempted to pull his hand away, but found it difficult to.

He had to know if that skin was as smooth as it looked. Had to...

He'd used the body before, but when possessed by another soul, a body alters slightly to better suit the new possessor. He'd never actually touched his skin in its original state, under a light soul's possession.

Bakura timidly ran his finger down the tear-stained cheek.

'Soft... and beautiful...' he admitted to himself, eyes dimming with greed.

'...Mine.'

He quickly lost control over his thoughts upon coming in contact with the weaker being's skin.

'So different from me... so untainted. Gentle, child-like eyes...'

Wait.

Ryou's eyes... were... open.

Immediately, Bakura leapt back into the ring. Ryou just blinked, confused and sleepy.

"Mou... hitori no boku?"

Looking again and seeing that there was nothing, Ryou shrugged it off and drifted back to sleep.

* * *

**A/n**: So... 

_Mou hitori no boku_ is what Yuugi calls Yami no Yuugi, and because Ryou never really talks to his yami in the manga or anime, I figured that's what he might call him if he did. Later he'll start calling him 'yami' for convenience purposes.

I tried to keep Bakura a little more in character this time around. It wasn't easy. I'm afraid I just made everything all the more complicated and confusing and nonsensical.

That stupid song took up _so_ much space! Geez.

And if you haven't figured it out yet, "this is speaking", 'this is thinking', _this is singing_, '_and this is evidently singing inside your head_'.

REVIEW OR THE WORLD WILL END!


	2. So many times betrayed

**A/n**: 'Allo. The second chappy is right here, and before we begin I'll just fill you in on a couple things:

/Ryou to Bakura/

-/Bakura to Ryou/-

For some stupid reason, I don't think question marks show up next to slashes. So questions will be left as open-ended sentences, I guess.

And someone found an error in my last chapter (which I later corrected)! GASP! I shall be more careful this time. I hope.

Ah heck, just read and enjoy people.

* * *

_beep beep beep beep Beep Beep BEEP BEEP BEEEP BEEEEE- **WHAM!**_

Ryou slowly forced his sleepy eyelids to part after strenuously silencing his alarm clock. Muttering as one who is not fully awake does, he fell clumsily out of bed and readied himself for school. Systematically pulling the Sennen Ring over his neck and then veiling it underneath his uniform, he grabbed his books and headed to Domino High, prepared for being late... again.

In the hallways, some of the bigger students purposely strode into him. But he said nothing, and only looked down and continued walking. A few giggly girls batted their long, black eyelashes and followed him around, which, to Ryou, was worse than the pushing. He had tried to make it clear that he wasn't interested, but this made some all the more determined.

Ryou sighed.

He just didn't really _like_ girls...

Fortunately, he managed to lose one particularly persistent female on the way to lunch by ducking into a crowd. Wondering what the students had gathered around for, he crept forward a little to see.

Two boys, one of average height and weight and the other rather large in both areas, were playing some kind of card game. Curious, Ryou eyed the cards, feeling... drawn to them. As he watched the odd game commence, he felt a familiar tugging at the back of his mind. The darkness that rested within him was also intrigued by the game.

Suddenly the larger of the boys leapt up and cheered "I win I win I win!"

Ryou blinked. Unless he was mistaken, the card that boy had chosen had a lesser number on the part marked "attack" than the defense of the card on the other boy's side of the field. And he could have sworn that the other boy had claimed that his card was in defense mode. That attack couldn't possibly have won him the game.

"No you didn't," Ryou muttered quietly, realizing his mistake only too late.

The boy wheeled around and loomed over Ryou threateningly.

"What?"

"I-I...you...nothing."

'Couldn't just keep my stupid mouth shut, could I!'

"You think you know the game better than I do?"

"N-no. Of course n-not," Ryou couldn't help but stutter as the young man glared at him threateningly.

"Alright, let's take this out in a duel then. See if you can beat me. I'll show you how it's done."

"But I don't have a deck-"

"Take his."

"Hey!" the 'loser' protested as his deck was wrenched away from him and shoved into Ryou's trembling hands.

"C'mon pretty boy. Let's see you do better!"

Sitting nervously across from the dangerous teen whom he wished for all the world he had not spoken up to, Ryou listened to a helpful soul explain the rules more elaborately to him.

'Okay. I can do this. Just need to calm down...'

-/You won't win./-

/Yami/ Ryou found himself a little startled that the spirit was bothering to communicate with him. /Why not/

/Not alone, anyhow. Play this interesting little game for me. I need... to know something. You will follow the instructions I give you, is that clear/-

/Hai, Yami./ Ryou nodded obediently to his darker self, who was sitting in spirit form next to him (invisible to everyone else) and eyeing the cards eagerly, as though they were a long lost treasure that he had at last found.

-/Now.../- Bakura pointed. -/This one in defense mode, this one face down on the field, and that one face down on the field./-

Ryou did as he was told. Under the instruction of his yami he found himself winning almost immediately. When had Bakura learned to play a game so recently released?

-/Summon this monster -_yes_, that one- and attack his with it. Then attack his life points directly with the one already on the field. He doesn't even have a trap or magic card to protect him, so that should win you the duel./-

He was right. After sending his opponent's monster to the graveyard, Ryou attacked his life points directly and won. He even earned a congradulatory cheer or two from the crowd, causing him to blush and smile meekly. The teen across from him stood, furious, and insisted that the boy had cheated.

Sensing havoc readying itself to appear, Ryou quickly slipped away from the crowd and made for his last class, hoping that duel had not caused him to be late.

When the class was at last over, Ryou walked unsuspectingly out of the building and headed home. On the way, he hummed something to himself. He'd heard it somewhere recently- in a dream perhaps. It was calming, and he closed his eyes for a moment, completely at peace.

He didn't hear the shuffling of over-sized feet following him, and had already forgotten the fury of his opponent from earlier, but was quick to remember when he felt a gruff hand grab his collar. Snapping his eyes open, they met with two familiar and very angry eyes.

"That duel was mine to win, pretty boy. You're paying for what you did to me in there!"

After being smashed into a wall that he hadn't even realized was there, Ryou curled up and braced himself for the beating he saw that he was about to receive.

* * *

Bakura was pacing excitedly in his dark soul room.

Those cards... they were replicas of the ka tablets! These cards contained a great, hidden power that would aid him in the achievement of obtaining all seven sennen items. At last! Plotting would be so much easier now that he had some idea of which direction to take.

But all his plotting and scheming paused when a jolt rippled through the mental link between his lighter half and he. It was a jolt of pain.

'Yadonoushi...'

* * *

The furious young man kicked the teen curled against the wall, and he groaned weakly. Ryou was bleeding in several places, and it was becoming harder for him to see. The bully grabbed him by the neck and lifted him above him, the boy choking from the grip, and Ryou felt his head collide forcefully with the wall.

Before seeping into unconsciousness, he thought he felt something at the back of his mind.

Anger.

The ancient spirit within him was sending strong currents of anger through their mental link, and there was even a light ripple of... something else. It was unrecognizable midst the pain. Ryou felt himself slipping away into the darkness.

Smirking, the bigger man decided to see if there was anything worth taking on the unconscious boy. Feeling for valuables that might have been concealed, his hands made their way up to the boy's neck. He felt something under his shirt, reached in and discovered the sennen ring. His smirk widened.

But then he looked up with something other than anger or triumph in his eyes when he saw the opportunity he was left with, and a finger slowly left the cord holding the ring and slid down the boy's soft cheek, continuing downwards and stroking his small neck. It got no farther, because a voice sounded quietly behind the oppressor.

"Get off of the omote."

The bully whirled around to meet the eyes of a materialized, and severely angered, Yami no Bakura.

* * *

**A/n**: Dun dun dun dun da duun da dun dun duun!

Yea, the materializing thing will be partly explained in the next chapter (I made it up).

REVIEW OR MY HALLUCINATIONS WILL EAT YOU!

That's right, I see giant, fanged bunnies, and I will set them on you if you don't **review**.


	3. Trying to find an honest word

**A/n**: Back with the third chapter. Aren't you so excited? That you just can't hide it? About to lose control and think you like it?

I thought not.

_Omote_ kinda means surface or outer... thingy... well it's apparently what the hikaris were called a couple times in the anime (or manga?). Figured I'd use it.

Note- I've been using some lyrics from Sarah Mclachlan's _Possession_ for the chapter titles. So they're not really mine.

* * *

It wasn't often that a yami materialized itself, and even if they were powerful enough to do so it was only temporary, and usually wasn't worth the time or stamina when one could simply use their vessel's body. This situation seemed to call for it, though, seeing the state that Ryou's body was in. 

The large boy blinked stupidly and looked from Bakura to Ryou and then back again. Only upon looking back, his face met with Bakura's fist.

Before the young man had time to get back up from that first blow Bakura was holding him down, and his cold eyes seemed to petrify the former attacker.

"When I ask for something I expect to get it without hesitations," the spirit hissed, "And I don't like what is mine to be touched. If you lay _one_ of your grubby fingers on him again, the consequences will be substantial."

He paused a moment, then snickered.

"That word, however, may not be in your vocabulary, so to make it simpler let's just say you touch him, I kill you. You hit him, and I break you. You even _consider_ tainting his innocence again, and I leave your mind to be devoured by the shadows of your own fears, never to escape. Do you understand?"

He nodded fearfully.

"If I chose to I could have my fun with you now, but you aren't worth my time. So get out of my sight- before I change my mind."

The bully (to be forever scarred by this encounter with shadow magic) left the moment Bakura allowed him to, not daring to look behind him. Bakura only glared disgustedly. He tried to take what was his, tried to hurt it...

'The body and soul both belong to _me_. They are _not_ for anyone else to touch.'

Sniffing with finalization he turned- and found himself suddenly panicked by the sight that met his eyes. His cheeks burned to a slightly darker shade as he took a closer look at the crumpled body on the ground.

Dropping to the boy's side, he searched the body for any serious breaks or sprains. The torn skin tainted the creamy white of his face with deep, rose-red. His lips were parted slightly, as he took in air slowly- very slowly, never once even stirring. That and his now unsteady pulse were the only indications that he was even still alive.

'He looks nothing like me. How could anyone mistake _me _for _him_?'

With an arm keeping Ryou in a sitting position, Bakura raised his hand above the lovely face, still unable to touch it.

'Wait, what am I _doing_!'

Attempting to clear his head, Bakura drew his hand away and wondered what to do about his fallen vessel. He couldn't simply take over this time; the body was too damaged for that. His time as solid was growing thin, and to top it all off it looked like it was going to rain.

He figured that he may as well clean him off a little. The sooner he's better, the sooner he'll be able to take over, right?

Bakura emptied a nearby building of people (ah, shadow magic and its many uses) and, gathering Ryou in his arms, easily carried him to one of its washrooms. Pinning him against one of the walls to keep him still, Bakura began to wash away the blood and to smooth out the tumbled hair, roughly at first, telling himself again and again that he was just readying the vessel for his use. The truth was that touching his lighter self still unnerved him.

Soft locks slipped through his fingers, almost clutching to them as he pulled away, coaxing him back. He felt his mind begin to numb. The boy's sheer beauty had once again caught him in a trance, and his hands began to work more gently across the broken surface of skin. Every touch was drawn out as long as possible, slowly absorbing his utter softness.

Noticing the stains seeping through the school uniform, he unbuttoned Ryou's jacket and slipped off his shirt, cleaning the wounds underneath. Sensations of delight flickered through his fingers with every firm stroke, causing him to tremble slightly.

It occurred to him suddenly that there would be lower body wounds as well as upper, and his eyes fell to the belt clinging to the boy's waist.

'...This is going too far!'

Pulling away, he carefully set Ryou down and tried not to look at him.

But he was so... still. And he hated stillness.

Hated it.

It was far too reminiscent of a time when he was unable to wake someone close to him. Eyes glazing over for not more than a moment, he looked back on a memory he had set aside long before.

_"Mother?"_

_A boy crept around the debris of what had once been his village, passing over the scattered bodies. There were faces he knew lying at his feet; faces of children clinging to the decaying figures of their parents._

_He stumbled over a bundle that he, with an apprehensive gasp, realized was the remains of what once was a young girl, eyes still open, seeming to stare accusingly at the boy still alive. Where was _he_ when the rest of them had suffered?_

_Face twisted in horror, he backed shakingly away from the reeking carcass, scrambling to his numbing feet, looking again for them._

_"Father!"_

_Calling for them, he tried to hide from the faces that continually stared at him; tried to ignore the stench of the blood that dripped from their open mouths._

_"Mother!"_

_His voice was breaking up, and his eyes began to sting from the dust that had settled in the air when the houses had collapsed. Falling again, the boy found that he could not bring himself to rise, and so he crawled over the ashen surface of what once was a beautiful place._

_And he found them._

_"Mother..."_

_Slipping down towards the bodies of a man and woman, the man with his arms protectively surrounding the woman, the young teen desperately reached out a hand._

_"Mother... Father... no... no, get up, stop it, get up!"_

_The boy crawled into the lap of his father's corpse, mumbling near nonsense._

_"Don't leave me here! Wake up! Wake up... please wake up... please..."_

_Interlacing his fingers with the woman's cold and lifeless one's, he ignored the tears dripping down his face._

_"Don't leave me..."_

_He finally stood, and closed his now tear-drained eyes. When they opened, a piercing coldness had filled them, his fear well hidden with hatred. In that one moment, all empathy was forgotten and replaced with a fierce sense of revenge, leading steadily to sadism._

_He began stealing not so much for survival, but the pleasure in taking from others. Tomb robbingwas both the most bountiful and hated form of thieving, as it was disrespectful to the dead who could not even defend themselves. So naturally, he became one of the most feared tomb robbers in Egypt. He was even at one time called the Thief King._

_It was a title well-placed. He was of course king of all thieves; he was the most relentless. Soulless even, some said. None could match his sheer hatred for humanity and love of suffering..._

Blinking, Bakura pushed the memory away again. It didn't matter. Not who he was, or how he became who he was. Nothing could change that.

But suddenly, he snapped his eyes back to Ryou. He could feel the other soul's pulse... and it was beginning to falter...

* * *

**A/n**: Yea. Fluff. And a cliffie-type thing. Wasn't that fun? 

I know, a little disappointing how Bakura had an opportunity to get into Ryou's pants right in front of him and he didn't take it. But I figure authoresses (seriously, how many _guys _are there on this site?) really need to make an effort, at least, to stop promoting teen sex. I mean, I know it's just a story, but it starts getting a little weird. You'd be surprised how influential things like these can be.

Woah, disturbing thought.

Until next time. Peace, Love, Rock & Roll, and **REVIEW**!


	4. To find the truth enslaved

**A/n**: Meha! Back again.

This segment was originally part of the last chapter, but I figured that the length of each chapter would be closer in size if I hacked that bit in two. I think I was wrong, though... because this is _really_ short. Oh well. DEAL WITH IT!

_Yadonushi_ either means landlord/master or lord's property/land. It's what Yami Bakura calls Ryou in the manga. Maybe in the anime too I don't really remember. _Yadonoushi _is another way I've seen it spelled, and I honestly have no idea which one is correct. So I'll just choose one.

* * *

Bakura had never actually intruded into Ryou's soul room, but he was now set on waking him up, even if it meant barging into his soul room and forcing him to. How, exactly, was a question he wouldn't yet trouble himself with. It just seemed like his only option after he'd spiritualized. 

"Yadonushi!" he called as he opened the door.

A blinding light startled him and he stepped back, but as he became more accustomed to the light, he continued through the doorway. Ryou was sitting on his knees in the middle of the white room, his eyelids only half open, staring at a wall disconnectedly. The light was emanating from him, and when Bakura walked in, it never touched him, but instead went around him. He cast no shadow- he _was_ the shadow.

That was when Bakura finally realized the difference between his omote and he: light and darkness (**A/n:** _Duh_). Ryou's soul was the brightest and most beautiful thing he had ever seen. As for his own...

"Mou hitori no boku?"

"Yadonushi, pull yourself together and get up!" Bakura commanded.

Ryou stood, the light following, his eyes still staring in the same isolated way, and spoke in a slow and contemplating manner.

"Did he stop hitting me?"

Bakura nodded, frowning.

"Why did not defend yourself? Cowardice-"

"What do you want, Yami? ...Are you going to hit me too?"

Bakura almost flinched. Almost.

"While your body lies the way it does, I can't take over. You have to be at least willing to wake up."

Ryou only blinked.

"Do I?" he asked, cocking his head slightly, "I don't recall you ever waiting for that before."

"I have no intention of taking over that bloodied up thing. _You're_ going to do that," Bakura snarled.

"I'm content here."

"Have you any idea how badly damaged your body is?"

"You saw it?"

"I... did, yes. I even made an attempt to take over, and I couldn't. It's a bloody mess, and quite ready to give up on itself until it's original possessor takes back over."

"Oh."

"_'Oh'_?"

"It doesn't really matter."

The darker soul looked at him disbelievingly.

"Hikari, at this point you're the only one who can take the body over, and if you don't it could-"

"Why did you call me that?"

"I... Yadonushi, if you die I'll be bodiless. Do you have any idea how many millennias it could take to find a new host?"

"That's all I am to you, then?"

Ryou finally turned his head and slowly brought his eyes up to look into Bakura's- whose breath was momentarily caught in his throat. Ryou's eyes... were extraordinary! His corporeal eyes only captured a glint of the true beauty in these eyes, eyes analogous to twilight and dawn in one.

You see, when looked into, one could see straight through them and to his heart.

"I'm tired, Yami."

Even as the words left his lips, his eyes dimmed.

"I don't think I want to wake up," Ryou smiled softly, haplessly. Bakura immediately felt as though a piece of him, specifically located behind his ribs, was ripping apart. "I'm not important. I don't mean anything- to anyone. Even you... I'm so tired..."

"Hikari..."

"Leave m-"

Ryou stopped mid-sentence and gasped softly, his eyes widening. The light in the room suddenly flickered, threatening to go out, and the boy collapsed.

* * *

**A/n**: Bum bum bum buuuuum!

And Bakura started calling him 'hikari' for again, convenience purposes. Glad that chapter's done, geez. It was hard and funky and bleh.

You may have noticed that I've been treating spiritual bodies as though they are real. You know, having heart beats and breathing and crap. That is mostly just because I'm lazy and don't want to confuse myself too much. But remember, what affects their spiritual bodies is essentially what affects their soul the most. Know what I mean? I mean, right now Bakura is going gaga over Ryou's spiritual body, which is merely a reflection of his beautifully innocent heart. This means that it's not simple, bodily lust, but an interest in Ryou's kind nature.

Know what I'm talking about? Meh, maybe not...

REVIEW PEOPLES!

Oh and hey, I'll give, um, something nice... maybe honor a requested addition to the plot... to people who can guess what tunes I'm humming. You know. At the end at some of these chapters. Like the dun dun dun one and this recent bum bum bum one. Yea. Have fun with that.


	5. You speak to me in riddles

**A/n**: This chapter is also remarkably short. And rushed. And poorly written. Like everything else I do, ne?

I feel so bad about the length, though! Sorry people... I'll make up for it. I mean hey, it's an early update at least.

Man, when I started reposting this story, I'd had it completed except for the last chapter. I was toying with trying a totally different ending than my first attempt, but figured I could still at least end in that chapter.

I ended up adding a _bunch_ of craziness that I didn't expect to on the fly... so it may seem a little off. This chapter, for example, was completely unexpected. It's mostly just a filler... teehee, my baaad.

* * *

He was so cold.

The light was fading.

'But this... I wanted this... didn't I?'

He couldn't see.

He couldn't hear.

All he could feel was the cold.

'I'm not struggling... not fighting it...'

Every second seemed to be a year, each darker and colder than the last.

'...Then why doesn't it just take me?'

It was always there, this cold place inside of him.

It had grown.

It wanted to hurt him.

It was trying to kill him.

...But what was stopping it?

Suddenly, as though emerging from too long a stay underwater, Ryou started coughing. The cold lingered on him like wetness, but also like wetness gradually lifted.

He could feel again. Warmth partially surrounded him, and he nestled towards the source, feeling the warmth spread. It was a person, he suddenly realized. He was leaning into their chest, and their arms were tightening around him...

'But who-'

Ryou opened his eyes.

"...Yami?"

* * *

Acting on instinct, Bakura had reached out and caught the staggering soul before it came into impact with the ground. Almost immediately upon Bakura's touch, Ryou seemed to strengthen. The light slowly brightened as he clung to Bakura's shoulders for balance, looking up at him with those incredible eyes.

"Yami," he repeated.

It would seem that the light would clash with the dark, but it was not so when Bakura held Ryou. The light simply passed through the darkness, creating a misty gray between them.

"You caught me," Ryou realized.

"You fell," Bakura pointed out in his defense.

* * *

Ryou opened his eyes and rose slowly to his feet, limping to the door of the room he had found himself in. After managing to stumble home he immediately headed for bed, searching mildly before falling back into unconsciousness for the same comfort he had felt in the midst of gray- in the dark soul's arms.

He never would have thought Bakura could be so... gentle...

Ryou's eyes closed wearily, letting sleep clear the events of the day from his mind. Bakura sat still in his dark soul room, staring at his hands and craving the touch of the light.

* * *

**A/n**: Bleh. Short. Do doo do do plunk-ah do doo do do plunk-ah do doo do do... sigh.

By the way, I noticed that someone brought up Ryou's sisters in the reviews. I kind of didn't know/forgot about them... so in this story they just don't exist. Makes life simpler for me.

REVIEWERS ARE LOVED!


	6. And you speak to me in rhymes

**A/n**: Yay, reviews! They make me ever so happy... Siiiiigh.

Ahem. Right.

This chapter is going to take a strange turn. Angst galore!

And as a warning, I'm too lazy to edit it a whole lot, so... it may be a little all over the place and stuff.

* * *

Bakura regarded the distorted image in the glass, fingering the face it reflected; his own, hideous face. The disfiguration was always there, always tugging slightly at his corporeal body and giving it a hostile appearance. But his spiritual face alone accurately illustrated his black and shattered heart.

The scars streaked across his face almost like paint, the ugliness within him manifesting itself on his mental body. Each day he would stare into the ethereal mirror of his soul room, the constant reminder that he would never be anything more than this contorted picture. He could never hide from it; nor could he block the occasional screaming of the souls- souls he had taken life from, souls he had banished to the eternal shadows.

But he already lived in part of that shadow. His mind was already half taken by the shadow dweller's deranged calls. It would only be a matter of time until he had fallen fully from the clutches of the light.

The black room itself was distorted in a sickly way, twisting and uneven. It was nothing but shadows, originating from his body and dancing off the walls, almost laughing at him.

But the darkness was his strength. He could not allow any weaknesses that would leave him vulnerable to the light. He would not be conquered.

No guilt, no resolutions, no weakness. It would destroy him, he would break, and he would be both the punisher and the punished. He had chosen this path, had done this to himself, and nothing he could do would change that. This was how it had to be.

And so he would laugh back...

A loud creak suddenly filled the room, and Bakura, leaping up and shielding his face, backed away from the light flooding through the open door.

"Yadonushi! What are you doing- get out!"

Ryou quietly shut the door behind him, stepping cautiously into the darkness of his yami's soul room.

"...No."

"Do as I say!"

"_No_, Yami."

The child-like soul repeated himself with more clarity, his curious eyes resting on the arm that shrouded Bakura's face. He timidly reached up to remove it.

"Don't touch me!"

Choosing to ignore him, Ryou wrapped his small fingers around the spirit's wrist and slowly pulled it aside, the light gently pushing away the darkness, and mutely heeded the disfigured face. Bakura's eyes narrowed coldly.

"You disgust me, Yadonushi."

Silence.

"You mean _nothing_ to me."

The grasp on Bakura's wrist tightened.

"...Get out! Get _away_ from me!"

Evidently, Ryou was rather set on doing the exact opposite. He leaned forward, face so close that he could feel his warm breath mingle with his own. Bakura stiffened ('Damn it, I _knew_ this would happen!'). Ryou gave him a small smile, making his yami's heart race a little faster.

"We're not so very different, you know," he said softly, reaching out and delicately tracing the path of a scar running down Bakura's cheek. "Not really."

Ryou simply stared at him for a moment, eyes glowing fiercely with a dominant emotion. Bakura was only vaguely aware that the space between them had closed, and that Ryou's lips were now pressed against his. Nothing mattered. Nothing but his hikari's touch...

When Ryou finally pulled away, Bakura stared after him. His eyes contained a hint of the same emotion that Ryou had regarded him with.

"...Why did you do that?" Bakura asked, genuinely confused. "This soul is black. I've done things to people... unforgivable things. What makes you think I won't hurt you?"

"I have to trust that you won't."

Bakura frowned, still not understanding.

"I'd risk everything to be with you," he continued, voice lowering, "I... I'm in love you."

Bakura's eyes widened, and the tumbling shadows stood still.

Ryou loved... _him_?

It had been a long three thousand years since he'd even heard that word. He had forgotten what it was like to be loved. What should he be feeling now? How does one react to that? Isn't it... a good thing?

No. Love is a weakness. How _could_ he love him? He was his complete opposite! How could the light love the darkness?

"You're being a fool," Bakura finally scowled.

"Yami... the darkness hasn't won yet," a sterner tone entered the little soul's voice, "You don't have to yield."

"I yield to no one," Bakura growled, "I _am_ the darkness."

The light in Ryou's eyes dimmed slightly.

"If that is so... then you're destroying yourself."

Bakura decided that he didn't like this look in his light's eyes. It made him feel... strange. He wanted this dark expression to go away, he would do anything to make it go...

"But I don't believe that," Ryou persisted, gesturing lightly to the scars, "These can heal, Yami. If you could just trust me..."

Ryou gently took hold of Bakura's hands, submissively, once again staring intensely at him.

"...If you could... love me."

He nearly choked on the word. Fear visibly rippled through him as he gazed pleadingly at the unmoved soul.

"...I couldn't do that," Bakura replied, softer than he had planned on being.

Ryou's grip suddenly intensified, eyes drowning in darkness again.

"...Please," his voice had dropped to a whisper, "...try."

Bakura tried to maintain an unfeeling appearance, but his light's words were digging into him.

"For your own sake," Ryou continued, voice shaking, "try to live again. I won't pretend to be your first choice- I know I'm not. But I'm all you have..."

"Mortality," the darker soul protested, "is limits, and weakness. I feel it every time I touch you, and become drunk on it- love can only injure!"

"...What did you say?"

Ryou had frozen as the words began to sink in. Bakura blinked, also realizing what, exactly, he'd just said. He fumbled a bit for a moment, searching for a way out of the hole he'd just plunged himself into. A cruel thought came to him, and the words were out before he realized the damage they could do.

"Love," he began coldly, "is for the weak."

The silence that followed was painful to endure. Ryou somehow managed to maintain his composure, even as a single tear slid down his cheek. The damp trail darkened and hissed as like acid it burned into his skin. He dropped Bakura's hands, and slowly exited the room.

The darkness seemed blacker than ever.

* * *

**A/n**: Baukra, you IDIOT!

Dude, is Ryou insanely selfless or what? It kind of makes me want to punch him... that can't be good...

I was so afraid of Ryou being inconstant in this chapter, but I think it works. More or less. He knows that even if Bakura _does_ kind of like him, he'll never submit to love so long as he keeps this attitude. And if a powerful healer like love doesn't enter his life any time soon, he'll just sink deeper and deeper into hell.

Sigh... Bakura _did_ try and warn him that he could get hurt, but there are no clear warning signs when you're in love, ne?

BLESSED ARE REVIEWERS, FOR THEY SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH!


	7. My body aches to breathe your breath

**A/n**: I changed the name of the story. The change does seem a little drastic, but I think it's a kinda classy title (which belongs to Willie Nelson), if a little... big. The thing about _My Angel_ that I almost miss is the simplicity... but it was also a little dumb.

This chapter is dedicated to Wolfang Amadeus Mozart. Not that the chapter has any relevance to him. He had a birthday a little while back (what is he, 250?), and I figured I may as well do something for him. Ooh, I'm joining this chorale group who's going to sing his _Requiem_! I'm so excited, that's the greatest movement ever written (or whatever you would call it...)!

READ THE NOTES AT THE END OF THE STORY!

* * *

-**Ryou's POV**- 

I've asked so many questions. I've wanted so much before, but always for me. I wanted my mother, I wanted friends, and I wanted to be loved. At least, that's what I thought I wanted.

But if I ever asked for anything, wanted anything my entire life... I want this more. I ask only for this. Take anything from me...

...But save him.

He saved me first. However unwittingly, he protected me from self-destruction. But even if he didn't realize what he was doing... something made him do it. Somewhere inside of him _is_ compassion, however repressed. That's what got me curious about him, and made me decide to take a closer look into his soul.

I shouldn't have been so surprised by what I saw. I saw hatred, more of it than I could ever imagine in a person- much actually directed at himself. But I also realized that however twisted his heart may be, it's not hollow. The very reason for it's deformation appears to be because it was too full and began to overflow... I mean... do you see what I mean? Granted, it's a weird way to put it, but I think you could almost say that he cared too much.

Whatever happened, he blames it all on love when, in fact, that's the only thing that can clean up this mess a little. He's been hurt by someone... and it's true, that's when love hurts... I would know. But he started picking at the wound, eventually tearing it open and widening it. Love didn't make him do that. Hatred did- perhaps some self-hatred.

I contemplated this a lot when I first looked on him. But that's not when I fell in love with him- that was when I realized that I already was in love. I've been in denial for long enough- but you can't really blame me, can you? It's a _strange_ situation. I mean, I'm pretty much in love with a bodiless spirit... which maybe makes it stronger than physical bonds. It feels like an idea... mou hitori no boku... the voice in my mind... the other half of my heart...

But that makes sense, doesn't it? They say that your soul mate is the one that completes you. Of course, that would be taking it quite literally...

I don't know, I don't care. How or why isn't important. I'm in love with him. We've established that, I hope.

If I had the strength to... I don't know if I do... but I would do anything to help him. I would go to anyone, anything, any place if it would save him from his own mind. I have to persist that it's not him, though... that he doesn't have to accept the will of the loneliness. It's much easier to protect oneself from another than himself.

And again, how or why doesn't matter. He's hurt. I want to help him.

I want to... like I've never wanted anything.

Please, I'm begging whoever will listen- give me strength to do this! Help me save him. He doesn't have to love me personally... but if he could just embrace his emotions instead of turning them away...

...And... it's selfish to want anything more than that... but... actually... I do kind of want him to love me... it would ease the ache a little.

* * *

**A/n**: Salva me, fons pietatis! 

Wow... actually I did that in one sitting... it just took me forever to get motivated/poperly inspired.

I'LL NEVER SAY THE WORDS "LOVE" AND "HATRED" OR USE "DOT DOT DOT"'s AGAIN!

Geez, seriously. I used _way_ too many of those in there.

-Okay, I need your opinion, people: should the next chapter be the last, or should I have quite a few more chapters? I mostly wanted the next one to be last because it completes the phrase from the song _Possession_. If I added more, I'd have to be clever and use _another_ phrase, and make sure I use exactly the amount of chapters needed for _that_ phrase. Bleh... what do you think?

Tell me in a REVIEW! Because it MOTIVATES ME!


	8. Your words keep me alive

**A/n**: I know what I'm doing with this fic finally! Yay! (dances in little circles)

This will _not_ be the last chapter, I've decided. There will be _one_ more. That makes this one a bit of a filler, I'm afraid. Not to mention SHORT. Eh well, I still think it works more or less.

I actually had a hard time getting into Bakura's head again. I stepped out for a while to get some air, you see. I wasn't _going_ to do this chapter from his pov, but I finally decided that it was fair enough if _Ryou_ was going to get a whole chapter in _his_ pov.

Anyhow, this one's a _tad_ mushy. And not at all progressive. Be warned!

Oh, and this chapter's dedicated to Janis Joplin, my inspiration for this chapter and idol. Yep.

* * *

Hikari...

It hurts you, doesn't it?

It hurts me too.

Love makes us weak.

We're such fools, you and I. Looking for heaven, and finding only hell.

Heaven is a blinding dream. Love only exists to cause suffering.

Hikari, hikari, hikari...

I tried to make you leave. I didn't want this for you. But it's effects have already taken place. Your little soul... already bearing marks.

Don't be like me. Don't _ever_ be as foolish.

I love you, hikari.

But you will never hear me say those words, and you will always be "Yadonushi".

I'll forget the taste of your lips. Your sweetness, purity- all in time will be forgotten.

We'll both forget.

* * *

**A/n**: I wanted to barf when I wrote his little proclamation (though it could've been that cake I ate earlier made purely of sugar ...). I try to be tentative when it comes to love confessions, but this was just kinda thrown out there. I _guess_ it works... I mean, Bakura's pretty candid sometimes.

Not to mention STUPID! Poor Ryou- he just _had_ to fall in love with some psychotic jerk.

ONLY _YOUR_ **REVIEWS** CAN PREVENT FOREST FIRES!


	9. Epilogue

**A/n**: WOOT! It's done- _finally_ done! The LAST CHAPTER is HERE!

I worked really hard on this one, guys. I edited and edited and I'm sure it could use more editing still. But this should work for now.

I just hope this goes with the rest of the story... I'm wondering if it kinda strayed. Especially at the end.

Anywho! I don't _believe_ that I ever indicated at what point in time all this was taking place. So, this chapter will be a mixture of an anime episode, a bit of the manga, and my crazy weirdness. It should give you an idea of when all this is happening. Have fun!

* * *

It was a clear day. Sunlight poured through the windows that morning, illuminating the class room to the point where synthetic lighting was completely unnecessary; it appeared downright dull next to the pure, brilliant rays. 

Several students were participating in various activities during the short period of time before school. Two, on one side of the room, were dueling, and had gathered a small crowd of spectators. The other side of the room was used to conduct idle conversation, rush through previously neglected homework, and stare contemplatively into space, thoughts straying far from the present and digging long and hard into the recent past.

Ryou Bakura closed his dark brown eyes and sighed, trying once again to direct his attention to his school books, lying open on his desk. He had plenty of catching up to do, given what an... _interesting_ day yesterday had turned out to be.

He tentatively touched his shoulder, and winced slightly. His wounds were actually doing quite well, all things considered, but they still caused him some slight discomfort. The limp was hardly noticeable now, and the bruise on the side of his face lay safely underneath a thick layer of white locks. With luck, no one would notice that anything was in the least bit out of the ordinary.

...Then again, why would they? No one knew him well enough to even know what 'ordinary' _was_.

Ryou frowned inwardly. When had he become so cut-off from people? He never spoke, never shared anything with anyone. A mother's death, a father's negligence, a dark soul's invasion of his body and heart... all secrets. Dead-weights, difficult to bare on one's own.

But... did he ever _have_ to go it alone? Maybe... maybe it was easier when you had someone by your side. And that person doesn't always find you; oftentimes you have to find them.

He looked slowly over at the dueling students, cheered on by a small circle of friends. They were probably perfectly nice people... perhaps he should introduce himself to them. But Ryou hesitated to approach, mind always drifting to the same apprehensive thoughts.

'This isn't abandoning him,' he reassured himself. He would always try, always be there, ready, waiting for any change of heart... (**A/n**: -gags-)

He would always love Bakura.

But if he didn't start living, and soon, he too may become a victim of self-inflicted torture. He wasn't like Bakura. He now recognized the need for the support and kindness of a friend.

His mind set, Ryou stood, and watched the duelists from the back of the small crowd, waiting. A heaving groan emitting from one of the boys, followed by an almost apologetic smile from the other, seemed to signify the end of the game.

"Damn it, Yuugi- you won _again_!"

"I've had more practice, Jounouchi-kun," the boy modestly reminded his opponent. He was the first to notice Ryou, who was still standing awkwardly before them after the crowd had dispersed. "Hello," he greeted, smiling brightly.

Ryou softly returned the enthusiastic smile, uttering a small "Hi." (**A/n**: Aww, he's so shyyyy!)

It was then that he noticed _it_, ominously gleaming from a chord around the boy's neck.

He froze.

It bore the eye... the same eye on his own pendant. It was shaped like a pyramid- golden, ancient; power seemed to drip from its jagged edges and onto the floor. (**A/n**: That's a movie! Haha! ...Yea.) It... was...

-/The sennen puzzle.../-

Head suddenly spinning, he bolted for the restrooms before the other boy could blink and ask what was wrong. He nearly collapsed onto the sink, gripping its sides as though for life, and glanced up at his horrified reflection.

/Yami.../ he pleaded.

The spirit's voice made his head ache, thrashing against the walls of his mind; so full of greed; so... violent...

He was shaking, trying to fight... but his heart wasn't in it. He gave a small cry and lurched forward suddenly, abruptly halting before coming in direct contact with the sink. The trembling stopped; he was immediately calm.

He slowly lifted his head, the mirror reflecting his ugly sneer. His eyes had darkened considerably, general features now sharpened.

"Ku ku ku..."

One thought passed through Yami no Bakura's head as his fingers pressed so hard into the metal that they were bruising.

'Kill...'

TO BE CONTINUED...

* * *

**A/n**: Yes, you heard me. Sequel time! 

Did y'all get this chapter? Basically, this is all under the presumption that Ryou's had the ring for a while, and knows about Bakura.

The manga indicates that he has no more than a vague awareness of his presence until he touches the sennen puzzle. He suddenly feels sick, and the voice in his head gets a little louder (he hears "ku ku ku" from time to time). In the bathroom, he can't stop thinking about the item, and he slowly opens his jacket and undoes the first few buttons of his shirt to pull out his _own_ 'pendant'. Then he hears Bakura's voice speak to him directly for the first time, and he gets taken over, and havoc wreaks.

The anime leaves a little more room for interpretation. In the first episode of the second series, Jounouchi and Yuugi are dueling in class. There's a group of kids watching them with only mild interest- Ryou is one of them. There is no indication that Ryou is a big character, as he's only shown fleetingly like the other classmates. I've heard, however, that when he goes to sit down once the two have finished dueling, he turns and sees the puzzle. His eyes then suddenly widen and a bunch of images quickly flash through his mind.

So, I just figured I'd smush those two together and add my own rendition of their past. I got this. Does that work, do you think?

Anyways, that's why I want to do a sequel. I was going to leave it there and indicate that from here on out, their future interactions would be taken care of in the anime/manga. I thought this was a good idea, because it would imply that every action taken from then on would be with this experience in mind. I realize, however, that it would be hard to explain every little thing in relation to this whole craziness.

So I'll just make another story going through anime/manga events with _slight_ changes, and further explanations of their actions and thoughts. I still don't know if I want to move all the way to the end of the series and do a different ending, an extended ending, or the same ending with different reactions.

Either way, it'll be a long while before I'll be anywhere near finished.

PEACE OUT!


End file.
